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Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads.
Scout
Nice dispersed camping for the prepared person :)
Legend
Free designated dispersed campsite along Sawtooth Nation Forest Road 137. Camped here at the end of September 2024. Very large designated dispersed site set downhill from the forest road; no issues with dust from this road. The area is level. May be able to park 3 rigs. Tent camping is possible back from the parking area toward the metal firering. This area can accommodate 3 or 4 tents, or one big hot tent. Corral Creek is just down a short path from the campsite. The sound of the creek can be heard at the site. Very quiet area. Mountains on either side of the site. The parking area is dirt and gravel. The "tent" area is grass and dirt. Don't see opportunities for hammock camping. No cell service. No shade; solar recharging and Starlink possible. 3 day limit. Hiking trailheads and vault toilet at the end of the forest road.
Legend
Coordinartes: 44.16547,-112.90392. Beautiful views. Large dirt and gravel site, right along side to Skull Canyon Road, about a mile from ID Hwy 28. Canyon walls on each side. Rough narrow rocky track to the site from the highway; recommend high clearance. High humps on this track. Small rock fire ring. Grass and sagebrush all around site. Some leveling may be required. Tent camping possible. Very peaceful; can hardly hear road noise from highway. The only vehicle that drove by was a national forest truck. No cell service. There are several boondocking sites, some with vault toilets nearby, along Hwy 28 in the Birch Creek Recreation Area.
Guide
Stayed here for two nights. The first night I have the whole area to myself. The second night there was two other campers. Doesn't seem to be super popular or high in demand. So finding a spot shouldn't be a problem. There was about six or more parking/camping areas. No Wi-Fi or Verizon signal. There is a toilet available. Access to the river as well.
Scout
Delightful creekside free campsites! Turn at the BLM sign and take a little gravel road to several free creekside spots! There are at least two pit toilets, one at a spot with two picnic tables, each has a great shade, fire pit, and a place for a camp stove! One has a flat raised gravel spot for a tent, which was good because we actually saw a couple mice. The second pit toilet was further down the road at a more separated spot, it looked like it was ADA accessible and also had a picnic table, etc. Close enough to Carey to get gas/ice. Only giving it 4 stars because of the mice (pack out your own trash guys! It isn’t hard!) and the complete lack of trees, the covers over the picnic tables did proved shade, but it still got crazy hot.
TravelerArrived later than I wanted and was thrilled to find site 1, I believe this was the North entrance, was available. Great spot with a pit toilet and table. Plenty of room to park and level. Loved listening to the creek all night. Wet a fly the next morning and caught a great brown trout. Lots of little dinkers, too.
GuideThis site was pretty easy to find. There were a couple of campers camped closer to the road from the turn-off but we managed to find a spot that was secluded and perfect for us right next to the creek. Tons of space, especially since we were by ourselves. Had a real fire pit! This was a cold stay and our tent was covered in frost in the morning, but a good spot to be. Close enough to town, close enough to hiking.
Guide
Quiet, private campsites. Close to Sun Valley. Place to turn around if unable to fine a campsite. No cell coverage. Only 3 day limit.
GuideNice location, close to town. Close to road but not much traffic. Access can be difficult with steep access from main road and tricky spots along the access road. There are three access spots. Would pick the first or second. The road is difficult between the second and third access roads. Would recommend walking down to see if safe for you and your vehicle. There is more dispersed camping farther up the road but you begin to lose cell coverage.
TravelerPaved parking spot, with access for a smaller camper; a few tent sites. Drop toilet, fire pit, picnic bench, Disabled parking spot. True tranquility and bliss, and skies for days.
Traveler
I selected this campground after missing out on a nearby first come first serve that was fully booked. I am just thrilled with the campsites and cleanliness of the pit toilets and nearby stream and fishing.
Guide
The first part of the road allows for 3-day max camping, but a little further in, you’ll hit 16-day max stay! The sites further up are away from the others and run along a stream. Still further in, you’ll hit a Y in the road. The right side leads you to a small parking lot with bathrooms and access to a small pond, the left leads you up to more sites. Not too far past the pond, the dirt road is less smooth and has tall grass growing in the middle of the road. I scored a gorgeous site, with a campfire pit already established. The site overlooks the pond, with the Sun Valley Ski Resort seen in the distance and has a gorgeous Mountain View on the opposite side. Absolutely stunning! Plenty of ground squirrels and butterflies and have only seen 2 cars all day.
Guide
Large campsites next to stream nestled in a beautiful valley. Hiking/mtb trail next to campsites.
GuideUse satellite view to see the sites. One site had a picnic table, tent pad and pit toilet, but was already occupied. The second location had two picnic tables with awnings, two tent pads and one pit toilet, complete with a mouse. We took the further site and a couple arrived at the other site around 7pm. It was very pleasant and quiet, but might not be if there were several campers in the large parking lot. Great, clean spot by the creek.
TravelerIncredible views after driving through most of Idaho this spot is a relief! Water /fishing access ,private spots , even one really nice paved spot close to entrance , don’t miss the turn it’s near a cattle gate on the gravel road
GuideProbably 15 spots. AT&T 1-2 5G. Pit toilets, 10 day max stay right on Big Lost River, fishing might be good? No garbage, water. Not bad for a 2-3 nighter.
Traveler
The road first takes you through a canyon with a few dispersed spots with tables and fire pits. Saw one vault toilet too. As you continue to this spot, there’s lots of places to pull off and camp. The road goes for quite a while and you can get to some beautiful creek/forest spots with 4WD. Lots of wildflowers :)
GuidePeaceful little gem in a beautiful area. Everything was very well maintained and clearly marked. Had the whole Place to myself in April and good cell service as well. I believe there are 2 sites with bathrooms and a tent area as well as one or two spots you could pull over and car camp.
Nobody was around when i was there so i just parked next to the bathroom on the northernmost site, not sure if thats the intended area but it worked for me. The short gravel road was a little rigid getting in but no potholes or anything, any car should be able to make it.
GuideVarious pull out sites off a gravel road (no 4x4 required). No facilities. Close to town, a few pretty sites with some shade.
LegendThough this campground sits along the highway it is easier to tolerate noise when its free!
The campground loop is gravel and has “pull next to” (bump out?) type sites with covered picnic table and a fire pit. There are also pit toilets and a hand pump water spigot. There is also a boat ramp and a day use area.
The river is very shallow and the bank is quite muddy -- our little dog sank up to her belly.
No privacy here and lots of road noise but you get to see the river and the meandering cows across the river.
Did not see any wildlife unless you count the swarms of tiny bugs of the variety that squeeze their little bug bodies through your screens.
Zero cell reception ATT, verizon or TMobile. The WeBoost was able to give us bars of LTE but still was not very usable.
Good for an overnight but not much around to keep us occupied for anything longer.
LegendThis forest service land is a quick drive down Lake Creek Rd from Hwy 75 just past the town of Ketchum in the Sawtooth National Forest. You'll drive through a residential area so mind your speed as there are kids around and lots of cars parked that were crowding into the road a bit as there were construction workers building one of the massive houses along this road.
The paved road comes to an end with a large parking or turn around area then turns to a very washboarded dirt/gravel road that runs behind people’s houses so maybe drive a bit slower to keep the dust down until you pass that point.
There are multiple areas that are large and mostly flat that pull off the side of this main dirt road. The views are amazing and it seemed quiet. We did not stay here as it was too hot at the time, but we would have because you have nice hiking or biking opportunities here. The pullout spaces are large enough for a good sized rig, we had plenty of space for our 26’ class C. A couple of the sites had stone fire pits but fire restrictions are in effect so no fires at this time. There are plenty of sites here and they were almost all free when we visited in September.
There are no amenities here. No garbage or water. You are fully in the sun with no shade.
The camping limit is 3 days only. There is one garbage can at near the large turn around/parking area before the road turns to dirt but it was small so just take your trash with you.
Good ATT and Verizon cell reception.
Guide
On salmon river right off hwy. can’t complain it was free
Traveler
We were able to find a site at the last minute, after 2 surrounding sites were full. Camp host was friendly and prompt to check us in. Nice big site. Dogs allowed on leash. Bathrooms available, but didn’t use. Some highway noise, but not bad. Nice place to stay with a creek running nearby.
LegendDispersed camping just north of Sun Valley. This Forest Road is popular being so close to town, but if you venture 3 to 4 miles in it's very quiet and peaceful. Lots of great hiking at the to trailheads near this campsite. We enjoyed all of the trees around our campsite and the North Fork of the Big Wood River with the sound of churning water. No cell service here. You're in a valley without a lot A visibility far out to the weather. Therefore, weather can change on you rapidly and Strongly. Be prepared.
LegendPros: *Views for miles *Steps from the Salmon River *Boat launch for rafting,kayaking,fishing *Covered picnic table *Generous spacing between sites *Serious star gazing opportunities
Cons: *No shade *Close to road, so some road noise.
Pros out weigh the cons for us. 2 thumbs up.
TravelerWe enjoyed the nearby creek and beautiful wildflowers that were blooming. Port-a-potties were there when we first set up camp but they were later taken by forest staff which left us without a toilet.
TravelerFound a couple sites that were cool didnt take any pics this time.
Mackay, Idaho, offers a fantastic opportunity for those seeking the tranquility of dispersed camping amidst stunning natural landscapes. With a variety of spots to choose from, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the beauty of the Sawtooth Mountains and surrounding areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Mackay, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Mackay, ID is Bear Creek Dispersed Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Mackay, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 dispersed camping locations near Mackay, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
